Submarine mine



G. E. ELIA SUBMARINE MINE New. 11, 1924- Filed Feb. 2, 1924 2 fihee'w-Shest 1 Patented No -.1. ll, 1924.

GIOVANNI EIVIANUELE ELIA, OF QRTESTIVIINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTJNIINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY.

SUBMARINE MINE.

Application filed February 2, 3.924.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that T, GIOVANNI EMANUEL'E Ema, a subject of the King ofltaly, residing at Vickers House, Broadway, Westminster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Submarine Mines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to submarine mines of the kind provided with means for automatically causing the flotation chamber or mine proper to be anchored at a predetermined depth below the surface. The chief objects of the present invention are to provide a form. of anchoring mechanism which will be suitable for all types of submarine mines whether intended for use against surface craft or against submarine boats; to

rovide a construction of submarine mine in which the flotation chamber is prevented from descending to such depths below the surface as would cause the same to be crushed or damaged by the hydrostatic pressure, and to provide a mine which is capable of being anchored in any depth of water.

According to the present invention the flotation chamber, or the mooring cable at a point adjacent to the flotation chamber, is provided with a hydrostatically operated device which controls the paying out gear for the mooring cable in such a manner that, when the said device is actuated, the mooring cable is allowed to pay out and the anchor to sink toward the sea bed, but the flotation chamber itself is prevented from descending below the depth for which the hydrostat has been set and at which it is intended that the flotation chamber should be anchored. To this end, the flotation chamber may carry, or be provided with, hydrostatically operated mechanism for effecting the release of means, such as an electrically controlled brake, a solenoid or any other suitable looking or releasing device, positioned in the anchor and controlling the paying out gear for the mooring cable, the hydrostatically operated mechanism being initially set so as to come into operation at, or below, the depth at which the flotation chamber is to be finally anchored and to release at such times the controlling means in the anchor so as to allow the mooring cable to pay out and the anchor to sink towards the sea bed, but serving to throw out of operation the said controlling means in Serial No. 890,218.

the anchor and to stop the paying out of the mooring cable should the flotation chamber rise above the depth for which the hydrostat has been set.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows by way of example one constructional form of the said invention and in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view showing the sequence of operations of the mine during the laying operation.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the sinker also showing the lower part of the flotation chamber.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of an oil pump brake for controlling the paying out of the mooring cable the section being taken in the line X, Y of Figure 2.

A is the flotation chamber. B is the anchor or sinker which contains the mooring cable drum 0 and which is provided with a seating 32 for the flotation chamber A, the seating being connected to the sinker by a number of columns 6 The mooring cable drum C is adapted to rotate in bearings 6 b in upper and lower plates 6 b forming part of the sinker B. The drum C has a central chamber b which contains a battery I), a solenoid E and co-operating mechanism associated therewith for controlling the paying out of the mooring cable F as hereinafter explained. The mooring cable F is constituted by a cable containing a pair of electric leads or conductors 7 which are in circuit with the battery D and with the coils of the solenoid E. The conductors'f, f are connected at their upper ends to spring controlled plungers f 7 which act as terminals. Attached to the flotation chamher is a hydrostatic switch G, the switch in the example shown comprising adiaphragmg which is acted upon by the hydrostatic pressure of the surrounding water and to which is attached a spindle g the latter carrying a plate which, when the diaphragm g of the hydrostat is acted on by the predetermined hydrostatic pressure, overcomes the resistance of the spring 9 and bridges the terminals f '7 thus completing the circuit through the battery D and solenoid E. The hydrostat may also, as shown, be fitted with a non return valve H, so that, in cases ,ing to different pressures.

air through the valve F at the pressure cor responding to the hydrostatic pressure pre- 'vailing at the required depth, the operation of filling the hydrostat with compressed air being preferably performed by connecting to an air pump a pressuregauge special-- ly calibrated to show the depths correspond- The. mooring cable winch. drum C is provided with a toothedwheel C which engages with a pinion in forming part of an oil pump bra-helithe pinion 76 being adapted to drive the gears 7r 70 of the said pump, so as to deliver the oilthrough the, pipe or passage 11: from the suction to the delivery side of the pump. In orderthat the pump may act as a brake, means, hereinafter described, are provided for choking to the required ex:- tent the said return passage 70 To this end the tube 70 is formed in two parts whose ends communicate with an opening Z formed within a casing L attached to the cover plate of the anchor. Adapted to move within the said'opening so as partially or wholly to obturate' the same is a piston valve m having a reduced portion m the piston being connected to a lighttubular spindle 4% located within the solenoid E. At its lowerend the spindle a is shdably mounted upon a tuben within which 1s located a flanged plug n having a conical seating and the flanged plug a is a light spring a. I

The parts of the mine are preferably held together at the moment of launching by delay action means constituted by a l1ydrostat, a dash'pot, 'a soluble plug or other suitable device, the construction of wnich is such that the parts of the mine are held together for a predetermined interval after launching.

A suitable form of hydrostatic device for allowing the mine to separate from the sinker when the combination has descended to a safe depth of immersion "for the flotation chamber, is shown at Figure 2, the de ice comprising a hydrostat P and two links H, R which respectively connect the parts ot the hydrostat to the flotation chamber A and to the sinker B. The diaphragm p of the hydrostat is open through passages 72 'to the hydrostatic pressure, and it is connected to spindle surrounded by a spring 72 a-ndthe spindle is provided at its upper endwith a plunger which is slidably mounted within a central recess 1" in the link Positioned within lateral slots in the link mine has been reached, (position 4,

R and projecting. into recesses in the casing of the hydrostat are the balls 5', of a ball releasii device, theballs, in the position of the parts shown at Figure 2, rigidly nolding together the hydrostat P andthe link B.

. The operation of the mine is as follows I i i hen a safe depth of submersion for the 0 Figure l) the water pressure, acting on the diaphragm p, overcon' the spring p and draws downthe spindle 79 and the plunger I at its upper end until the balls 8 are free to move into the recessr and thus to release the casing of the hydrostat tronrthe link R, whereupon the flotation chamber A. separates from the anchor B the sinker descending and the mine slowly ascending with the mooring cable paying out under the control otthe oil pump-brake ,K. As long the flotation chamber is beneath the desired depth of submersion (position 3, Figure l) the electric circuit will be closed by the hydrostatic switch and the excitation of the solenoid coils E will retract thesoi t iron mitting the pump brake K to Work at a speed corresponding to the rate of descent of the anchor with the mineremaming at about constant depth, that is at. such a speed that the tension maintained in themooring cable bythe resistance of the brake is approximately equal to the buoyancy'of the mine. The adjustment of the brake to suithis condition. is previously fixed by adjustment of the screw valve 7:. If the mine rises above the set depth or immersion the diaphragm g of the hydrostatic switch will move outwards and the switch will be broken and the solenoid de-energized. The spring 12 will then move back the armature and close the valve at so as entirely to block the return passage of the pump K. The rotation of the mooring rope drum is then stopped and the mine will be drawn down by the anchor until the set depth is again reached or passed (position 4, Figure 1) whereupon the hydrostatic switch again operates to open the piston valve m thus permitting the pump brake to rotate and the mooring rope to pay out as before. A further length of mooring cable will accordingly be paid out. This action will continue until the anchor reaches the sea bed and, on account of the hydrostatic device, the flotation chamber will also come to rest at the depth below the surface for which the hydrostat was originally set (position 5, Figure 1). On reaching the sea bed a pawl or equivalent device is actuated and permanently locks the mooring cable drum.

In its simplest form, the electro-magnetic releasing device may also be constituted by a solenoid or catch which normally locks the mooring cable drum against rotation,

but which, on the hydrostat being operated and the circuit through the mooring cable being completed at the desired depth at which the flotation chamber is to be anchored, will release the mooring cable drum so as to allow the mooring cable to pay out. Instead of an electro-magnetic locking device, the drum of the mooring cable may be provided with a flange within which is located a two-part spring controlled expansible clutch actuated by an electric motor. The battery, hydrostatic apparatus and electric motor are in circuit with one another and, on the hydrostat being operated, the aforesaid electric motor operates to expand the clutch into contact with the flange on the mooring cable drum, so as to stop the paying out of the mooring cable. which, due to the weight of the sinker and the buoyancy of mine, will, when the drum is unlocked, allow thes parts to separate automatically from one another. An auxiliary hydraulic brake can also, if desired, be provided so as to control the speed at which the mooring rope is paid out from the mooring cable winch drum. The anchor may also be provided with auxiliary anchoring means in addition to the device for permanently locking the drum when it reaches the sea bed, while the battery (or batteries) instead of being located within the sinker may be located within the flotation chamber or within a casing attached to the flotation chamber.

It will be clear, therefore, that by means of the aforegoing arrangement the flotation chamber will remain, during the paying out of the mooring rope at approximately the depth at which it is to be finally anchored, so that it is effectually prevented from bemg carried to a depth at which it is liable to be crushed by the hydrostatic pressure. Furthermore. and on account of the fact that the parts of the flotation chamber and sinker, as also the battery, electro-magnetic locking device or motor and clutch device can be standardized for mines of any type, the cost of the mines is substantially reduced. The mine during the anchoring operation will tend to pursue a zig-zag course, but a. descent. in a substantially straight line may be assured by making the parts sufficiently sensitive. The mine is equally suitable ;tor launching either from a submarine or from a surface vessel. When launched from a submarine the mine will not reach the surface so that no indication will be given to surface craft, either of the presence of the mine or the submarine.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A submarine mine comprising a flotation chamber. a sinker. a moo-ring cable. connecting said flotation chamber to Said sinker,

means oermitting said mooring cable to unwind and said sinker to separate from said flotation chamber until it reaches the sea bed, and means for maintaining the flotation chamber at substantially a predetermined depth below the surface until the sinker reaches the sea bed.

2. A submarine mine comprising a flotation chamber, a. sinker, a mooring cable connecting said flotation chamber to said sinker and means which allow the mooring cable to unwind and the sinker to sink towards the sea bed as long as the flotation chamber is below a predetermined depth, said means also acting to stop the paying out of the mooring cable should the flotation chamber rise above the said depth.

3. A submarine mine comprising a flotation chamber. a sinker, a mooring cable connecting said flotation chamber to said sinker, hydrostatically operated mechanism, and means within said sinker controlled by said hydrostatically operated mechanism for allowing said mooring cable to unwind and said sinker to separate from said flotation chamber until the sinker reaches the sea bed, said hydrostatically operated mechanism also acting to stop the unwinding of the mooring cable should the flotation chamber rise above a set depth beneath the surface.

4. A submarine mine comprising a flotation chamber, a sinker, a mooring cable connecting said flotation chamber to said sinker, hydrostatically operated mechanism which comes into operation at substantially the depth at which the flotation chamber is to be finally anchored, controlling means within said sinker actuated by said hydro statically operated mechanism for allowing the mooring cable to unwind as long as the flotation chamber is below the set depth said hydrostatically operated mechanism also serving to throw out of operation said controlling means and to stop the unwinding of the mooring cable should the flotation chamber rise above the said depth.

5. A submarine mine comprising a flotation chamber, a sinker, a mooring cable connecting said flotation chamber to said sinker, electrical conductors within said mooring cable, hydrostatically operated means positioned on said flotation chamber and adapted to bridge said conductors when the flotation chamber is below a set depth and means within said sinker in circuit with said conductors for allowing said mooring cable to unwind and the sinker to separate from the flotation chamber as long as said conductors are bridged.

6. A submarine mine comprising a flotation chamber, a sinker, a mooring cable connecting said flotation chamber to said sinker, braking means permitting said mooring cable to unwind at a speed corresponding IOU to the rate of descent of the sinker as long as the flotation chamber is at substantially a predetermined depth, and means for maintaining the flotation chamber at substantially said predetermined depth until the sinker reaches the sea bed.

7. A submarine mine comprising a flotation chamber, a sinker, a drum within said sinker, a mooring cable upon said drum, said mooring cable connecting said flotation chamber to said sinker, electrical conductors within said mooring cable terminals at one end of said electrical conductors, hydrostatically controlled means adapted to bridge said terminals, a releasing device for said mooring cable drum, and a source of supply of electric current, in circuit with said releasing derice and said conductors For the purpose specified.

8, A submarine mine comprising a flotation chamber, a sinker a mooring cable connecting said flotation chamber to said sinker means for releasing the flotation chamber from the sinker as soon as the mine reaches a depth below which depth the flotation chamber is liable to be dam aged by the hydrostatic pressure, and means which allow the mooring cable to unwind and the sinker to sink to the sea bed, as long as the flotation chamber is below a set depth but which stop the unwinding of the mooring cable should the flotation chamber rise above said set depth.

GIOVAN N I EMANUEL?) ELIAV. 

